Judicial Branch

By: Marc

Judicial Branch

By: Marc

Responsibilities of the Supreme Court

The Supreme Court gets about 5,000 cases a year, but they only have time to hear a little less than 150 cases in that year. The Supreme Court is the highest court in the land and their decisions are final and they have the authority to question and appeal lower court cases.

Supreme Court Justices

All of the Supreme Court Justices get paid a little over $200,000 per year. Each justice can serve for life after being appointed unless they get impeached or decide to retire. A justice has to get nominated by the President and approved by the senate to become a Supreme Court Justice.

Antonin Scalia

Clarence Thomas

Anthony Kennedy

Antonin Scalia

Clarence Thomas

Anthony Kennedy

Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Stephen G. Breyer

Samuel Alito

Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Stephen G. Breyer

Samuel Alito

John Roberts

Chief Justice

Sonia Sotomayor

Elena Kagan

John Roberts

Chief Justice

Sonia Sotomayor

Elena Kagan

Bush v Gore

The 2000 case of Bush vs. Gore is probably the most well known electoral Supreme Court case. The argument goes like this: the election was very close and was going to be decided by Florida's vote. Florida ended up voting Bush but there was a major conflict. Some of the ballots had been made wrong. Some people who had voted for Gore had gotten their votes changed. They sued Florida for a recount. When Florida recounted, it took too much time and the case had to go to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court voted 5-4 in favor of Bush because the recount was considered "unconstitutional" by the Supreme Court. The winner may not have been fairly decided but Bush became the President of the United States.

District of Columbia v. Heller

This 2008 case is probably the most controversial gun-related case the Supreme Court has ever tackled. A citizen was in possession of a loaded firearm without a license and the city of Washington, DC, argued that carrying a pistol without a license is prohibited and carrying a loaded gun is also prohibited. It was a split decision until Chief Justice John Roberts voted against DC and held that the 2nd Amendment (the right to bear arms) applies to a person's right to keep guns for self-defense.